Olive pitter



March 25, 1952 M. c. PASTORE' OLIVE PITTER s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Aug. 6, 1949 ZTOR EYS M. c. PASTORE OLIVE PITTER March 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 6, 1949 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 H UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OLIVE PITTER Michele C. Pasture, Visalia, Calif. Application August 6, 1949, Serial No. 108,886

7 Claims.

This invention relates to olive pitters and more particularly to a machine that both sorts olives and other fruits according to size and pits them. v It is among the objects of this invention to provide an improved olive sorting and pitting; machine into which bulk fruits of various sizes may be deposited and which individually feeds through appropriate stations of operation adapted to separate the olives from their pits. Another object of the invention is to provide anolive pitter of simple construction comprising a minimum number of parts, which is accurate in action and which is capable of being produced on an economical and eflicient basis.

,Other objects of the invention include the provision of improvements in specific operating mechanism including improvements over prior art devices heretofore contemplated for generally similar purposes.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification. i 1n the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sizing and pitting machine embodying the principl'esof this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

ing the invention is generally designated by the numeral and comprises a frame 2| including head member having upright portions 3! to support the bearings 29 and horizontally extend-- ing portions 32 secured as by bolts 33 to the frame members 22 and 23, respectively.

Likewise journaled longitudinally in the frame 2| is a conveyor screw 34 comprising ribs or the like whose pitch corresponds to the spaced relationship horizontally of, the crank shaft men!- J bers 21, as evident in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view as taken on a line" 3-3 of'Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken as on a line 4-4 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a screw mechanism and drive therefor, em-- ployed in the subject device.

Fig. 6 is an end view taken as from the lefthand side of Figs. 1 or 2.

Fig. 7 is a detailed enlarged view of an olive in a position to be pitted.

Fig. 8 isa similar view to Fig. 7 showing a further's'tage in the olive pitting operation.

9 is a plan sectional view taken as on line 9 9 of Fig. 2."

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a

machine chosen for exemplifying but not limit- A roller 31 is journaled in the frame 2| below the crank shaft 21 in parallel relationship thereto. The screw 34 isin horizontal disalignment from a vertical plane coincident with the cam shaft 26 and the roller 31.

The crank shaft 26 and the roller 31 are periodically rotated by meansof a suitable gear train generally designated at and. subsequently to be described, while the screw 34 and a feeding rotor 41 operatively associated therewith are rotated continuously by the same means.

A plurality of links corresponding in number to the crank shaft throws 21, as designated at 44, are individually secured to the crank shaft throws as by bearings 45 and downwardly extended therefrom. Each of the links is also secured, as by pins 46, to individual guide rods 41 slidably fitted to sleeve-type guides 48 in the head 30 in order to impart periodic vertical reciprocating movement to corresponding punches 50 secured in an accepted manner to the bottom ends of the guide rods 41 in depending relationship thereto.

The punches 50 are not free to move or swing sideways but are fixed for reciprocation on a vertical axis and are formed with a squared croptionally sharpened lower end 52 in vertical alignment with radial compartments 54 in its roller 31 adapted to register during the clown stroke of the punches 50. r

Having thus preliminarily set forth some of the gross structure of the machine, a more detailed descriptionof the working parts will become anparentdn connection with an exposition-of its 1. mode-of-operation as follows:

Bulk olives of unassorted sizes and grades Bil are dumped into a hopper positioned as at the left-hand end of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and secured thereto as by screws 62. From the throat 53 of the hopper the olives feed singly into the feeding rotor 5! which comprises a cylinder having circumferentiaily spaced radially directed pockets 64 so that during the rotation of the rotor, as upon an axle 65 secured in the plate 22, in a direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 4, the individual olives will nest endwise in the individual pockets.

After a sufficient revolution of the feeding rotor, the individual olives are dropped gravitationally into a trough 66 likewise mounted between the plates 22 and 23 of the frame concentrically with the conveyor screw 35.

The gear train it! is so adjusted that the rotor ll deposits a single olive between longitudinally adjacent ribs or threads of the screw 34.

The individual olives, e. g., Figs. 4 or 5, are conveyed by the screw 34 rollably along the bottom of the trough 86 and over orifices 68, 69, 1D and H of successively increasing diameter, from left to right, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in order that the olives may seek and enter an opening of an appropriate size to grade them, e. g., petite, standard, medium, large, extra-large, mammoth, giant, jumbo, colossal and super-colossal.

The feed screw 34 is of usual helical form but has an advancing leading edge J2 for lifting olives from the openings 68, 69, To and ii, that are too small for their passage therethrough so each olive may be conveyed to an opening of appropriate size. As the helical screw is rotated the olives are rolled with their major axis substantially parallel to the contacting surface 53 of the screw longitudinally of the trough. Any tendency of the olives to climb the side wall of the tube is obviated by a relative skidding of the olives along the wall of the trough.

Downwardly extending from each orifice 68, 69, i0 and l! is a chute "HS through which the olives slide endwardly so that they are properly aligned when discharged by the chute to fall into the radial pitting bores or compartments 54 disposed adjacent to the bottom end 16 of the chute along the roller 31. Rotation of the feed screw 34 causes olives in the trough 66 to roll and to slide along the bottom of the trough with the longitudinal axis of the olives substantially parallel to the helical portion 35 of the screw. The orifices 63, 69, i9, and H are so arranged that the olives thus rolling or sliding along the, bottom of the trough G6 endwardly approach the orifices and thus topple end first into the orifices and are started endwardly down the chutes which deliver the olives endwardly to the compartments 54 in the roller 37. A baffle plate ll is optionally employed at the opposite side of the roller 3'! from the chutes i i to obviate discharge of olives from the chutes past the roller.

The gear train i0 is adapted to retain these compartments 5 in a vertical upwardly disposed position to receive the olives as they are dropped from the chute i i. The pitting compartments 54 are of sizes adapted snugly to receive the olives gravitated thereto through the respective chutes.

Coaxial with the compartments 54 and threadably or otherwise retained Within the roller 31 are cylindrical coring knives i5- secured as by lock nuts '28.

Timed to correspond with the'dropping ofthe olives into the compartments 5d, the pitting punches descend by periodic action of the crank shaft 28 piercing the upper end Si; (Figs.

out of the bottom 82 of the bore 83 of the pitting knife together with a portion of flesh 84 cut from the bottom end of the olive so that the same, together with the pit, falls into a pit-receiving compartment 86 preferably removably disposed on the base 2 1 of the frame of the machine.

The coring knives 18 are removable from the roller 3? for sharpening or replacement, and by means of the threaded connection thereof with such roller are axially adjustable for selective extension into the compartments 54.

After the olive has been pitted and the core dropped into the pit-receiving compartments 85 the roller 31 is turned rather sharply in a counter-clockwise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 3, discharging the pitted olives into a receptacle Bl. A wall 853 is positioned endwardly in the compartment 86 laterally offset from the roller 3? separating the olives from the pits.

The roller 3'! thereupon completes its revolution about its lon itudinal axis until the compartments 54 thereof are again upwardly directed to receive the next olives.

In view of the above description, the method of operation of the gear train will now be set forth.

Having particular reference to Fig. 6, a drive shaft 98 may be driven in a counter-clockwise direction by any conventional rotor means and, as indicated by an arrow in such figure, may have keyed thereto a spur gear 91 and a circular sector gear t2, the latter being formed with a toothed portion 3 and a cam portion 94.

Assuming the sector gear 92 to be continuously rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, there is operatively associated therewith a second smaller circular sector gear 95 keyed to the crank shaft 26. Said sector gear 95 has a cam portion 96 circumferentially continuous with a toothed portion 9'1. During engagement of the teeth 93 of the larger sector gear 92 with the smaller sector gear 95, the latter is turned to rotate the crank shaft 25, but upon engagement of the cam portion 94 of such larger mutilated gear with the cam portion 96 of the smaller of such gears a dwell is established in the rotation of the crank shaft 26.

From. the foregoing description will be apparent that such periodic rotation of the crank shaft for one complete revolution drives the pitting punches 56 through one reciprocative cycle in the olive pitting operation.

The spur gear 9| connected to the drive shaft is also operatively associated as with an idler gear 99 whose clockwise rotation, as illustrated in Fig. 6, causes counter-clockwise rotation of a spur gear lei) keyed to the shaft of the helical screw 34 which latter thereby continuously rotates.

By virtue of another idler gear Hi2, a spur gear I 53 is rotated upon a shaft I04 and drives there with a further circular sector gear I06 having teeth in a first circumferential portion I01 and a cam surface on the remaining circumferential portion I08.

Such sector gear 595 is operatively associated with a circular sector spur gear H6 keyed to the shaft ll! of the roller 3! which, upon periodic engagement of the tooth portion [B7 of the last mentioned sector gear ifie with the toothed portion ii?! of the s ctor spur gear I Hi, serves to rotate the roller 3? about its longitudinal axis for i one complete revolution in a similar manner to therot ation of the crank shaft 26 but subsequent in time to the actuation of the crank shaft 26. A

cam portion H3 upon the spur gear I I likewise provides a dwell for the roller 31 by engagement; of the cam section H3 of such sector spur gear with the cam portion I08 of the engaged sector ear 106.

' During the pitting stroke of the punches there will not be more than one olive in any one of the compartments 54 and sometimes not more than one olive in the total number of compartments. The power requirements of reciprocating the punches is small and the performing of a pitting stroke in the absence of an olive in pitting position is not regarded as objectionable. The sorting function performed is deemed more than to offset the slight powerloss incident the reciprocatin'gallof; the punches even though olives are "not disposed for pitting in each of the compartments 54.

This invention features the provision of an olive sorting and pitting machine in which olives are individually fed to a metering rotor for time spaced delivery to, and continued movement by a continuously operating feed mechanism. such as a screw, by which they are delivered for pitting through the synchronous action of pitting mechanism pit.

' Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not 'to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as togembrace any and all equivalent devices and structures.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is':

"1,;Anolive pitting and sorting machine com prising 'a frame, a-crank shaft mounted for horizontal rotational movement in the frame, a plurality of guides mounted in'the frame below the the openings and having downwardly extended op'en epdportions, a roller having longitudinally alignedjcompartments formed therein rotatably mounted for periodic registry of the compart mentswith the lower ends of .the chutes, the pitting'punches being aligned with the compartments when said compartments are aligned with their respective chutes, hollow cylindrical pitting knives coaxially disposed in each of said compartmentsy'and drive means periodically rotating the rollerto discharge olives deposited therein and to return the compartments to chute alignment, the

screwc'onveyor to feed olives along the trough for depositthrlough an opening of appropriate size into a chute and thence into a compartment whilethe compartments are aligned with the chubesiland" periodically to rotate the crank shaft to drive the pitting punches downwardly into the olivesiin the compartments to eject pits through the pitting knives thereof and subsequently to retract'the pitting punches for rotor rotation.

'5 2 In an olive pitting and sorting machine, the T'combination of a frame, a crankshaft mounted for horizontal rotational movement in the frame. a plurality of guides mounted vertically in the fr'alme below the crank shaft, pitting punches ticulately connected to the crankshaft for ver- I cal reciprocal movement and slidably mounted in the guides, a horizontal elongated trough having a bottom formed with equally spaced oven- 'in'gs of progressively increased size from a positio"n adjacent to one end and to a position ad o cent to the other end of the trough, a screw cone'yor rotatably mounted in the trough to feed iolives longitudinally thereof successively over the openings of increased diameter, feed means de- -livering olives individually to the conveyor in ftimed spaced relation so that the olives are motivated longitudinally of the trough by the screw conveyor in spaced relation equal to the spacing "of-the openings, chutes mounted on the trough in '-.;registry with the openings and having down- -wardly extended open end portions, a roller hav- ,ing longitudinally aligned compartments formed therein rotatably mounted in substantially horizontal position for periodic registry of the com- -partments individually with the lower ends of the -chutes, the pitting punches being aligned with the compartments when said compartments are .s'in'registry with their respective chutes, hollow ggj-"cylindrical pitting knives fixedly mounted coaxially in each of the compartments, and drive means continuously motivating the feed means f 'and the screw conveyor, periodically rotating the "roller so as to provide a dwell with the compartments in registry with the chutes, and the crankshaft synchronously with roller rotation whereby i the pitting punches are driven into the compartg; ments and withdrawn therefrom during said dwell.

49 3. A fruit h prising a horizontal elongated trough having a series of equally spaced openings formed in align. 'ment longitudinally of the bottom thereof of progressively increased diameter from one end to the other, a screw conveyor having a helical rib whose convolutions are substantially uniformly 'spaced a distance equal to the spacing of the openings in the trough rotatably mounted in the @trough, said rib having aradially disposed pe- 6fzri-pheral edge arcuately axially extended in the -direction of increasing diameter of the openings in the trough for lifting fruit from openings too f-"small for their descent therethrough, a roller having longitudinally aligned compartments formed therein rotatably mounted for periodic reception of fruit from the openings in the trough, a plurality of pitting punches mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in alignment with i -the compartments when said compartments are disposed for fruit reception, and driving means .rotating the roller in time spaced steps to discharge fruit deposited therein and to return the compartments to position for fruit reception, the 'helical screw to advance fruit along the trough in spaced relation synchronized to deposit fruit through the openings of appropriate size while the compartments of the roller are in'fruit receiving position, and periodically to reciprocate the pitting punches to and from the compartm ments in the roller subsequent to deposit of fruit 1 therein'from the trough and prior to roller rotation to discharge fruit located therein.

4. An olive pitting and sorting machine comprising a frame, a crank shaft mounted for horizontal rotational movement in the frame, a plupitting and sorting machine comrality of guides mounted in the frame below he crank shaft, pitting punches slidably mounted in the'guides and operatively connected to the crank shaft for vertical reciprocating movement in the guides, a horizontal elongated trough supported in the frame having a series of equally spaced openings formed in alignment longitudinally of the bottom thereof of progressively increased diameter, a screw conveyor having a helical rib whose convolutions are substantially uniformly spaced a distance equal to the spacing of the openings in the trough rotatably mounted in the trough, said rib having a radially disposed peripheral edge arcua-tely extended in the direction of increasing diameter of the openings in the trough for lifting olives from openings too small for their descent therethrough, a roller having longitudinally aligned compartments formed therein ro'tataibly mounted for periodic positioning to receive olives from the openings the trough, the pitting punches being aligned with the compartments when said compartments are disposed olive reception, and driving means rotating the roller in time spaced steps to dis charge olives deposited therein and to return the compartments to position for olive reception, the helical screw to advance olives along the trough in spaced relation synchronized to deposit olives through the openings or appropriate size while the compartments of the roller are in olive r ceiving position, and periodically to rotate crank shaft to reciprocate the pitting punches to and from the compartments in the roller subsequent to deposit of olives therein from the trough and prior to roller rotation to discharge olives located therein.

5. In a fruit pitting and sorting machine the combination of a. horizontal elongated trough having a series of equally spaced openings formed in alignment longitudinally of the bottom thereof of progressively increased diameter from one end of the trough to the other, and a screw conveyor having a helical rib whose convolutions are substantially uniformly spaced a distance equal to the spacing of the openings in the trough rotatably mounted in the trough, said rib having a radially disposed peripheral edge arcuately axially extended in the direction of increasing diameter of the openings in the trough for lifting fruit from openings too small for their therethrough for advancement thereof longitudinally of the trough.

5. In a fruit pitting and sorting machine the combination of a horizontal elongated trough having a series of equally spaced openings formed in alignment longitudinally of the bottom thereof of progressively increased diameter from one end of the trough to the other, a screw conveyor having a helical rib whose convolutions are substantially uniformly spaced a distance equal to the spacing of the openings in the trough rotatably mounted in the trough, said rib having a radially disposed peripheral edge arcuately axially extended in the direction of increasing diameter of the openings in the trough for lifting fruit from openings too small for their descent therethrough for advancement longitudinally of the trough; an

escent olive receiving hopper having a downwardly directed throat mounted in elevated position at. the end [of the trough provided with the smallest openings, a feeding rotor rotatably mounted between the throat of the hopper and the trough having radially disposed fruit receiving pockets formed therein adapted periodically to register with the throat of the hopper and subsequently to assume an inverted position above the throat upon rotation, and a drive means rotating the feed screw to advance fruit along the trough and synchronously therewith rotating the rotor to invert a pocket thereof above the trough intermediate each convolution as the feed screw is rotated.

7. A pittin and sorting machine for fruit comprising an elongated trough having a plurality of openings formed in the bottom thereof of progressively increased size longitudinally of the trough, a screw conveyor rotatably mounted on the trough to feed fruit longitudinally thereof successively over the openings of progressively increased size, an elongated roller rotatably mounted beneath the trough having a plurality of fruit receiving compartment-s therein individually positioned to receive fruit dropped through the openings in the trough when the compartments are upwardly disposed, the roller .being formed with pit passages extended downwardly from the compartments through the roller when the compartments are upwardly disposed, pitting punches mounted for reciprocal movement to and from the compartments to drive the pits of fruit deposited therein through the pit passages, and a drivin means for successively rotating the roller to invert the compartments and to return the compartments to upwardly disposed position, rotating the screw conveyor to deposit fruit in the compartments while the roller is stationary with the compartments upwardly disposed, and reciprocating the punches to and from the compartments while'the roller and screw conveyor are stationary to drive pits from fruit deposited in the compartments through the pit passages of the roller. I

MICHELE C. PA-STORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,680 Kenney Dec. 13, 1887 659,598 Anderson Oct. 9, 1900 663,206 Wolff Dec. 4, 1900 1,166,537 Neal Jan. 4, 1916 1,228,279 1 Argo May 29, 1917 1,781,472 Nagle Nov. 11, 1930 2,271,675 Ashlock, Jr Feb. 3, 1942 2,360,411 Frova Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 189,895 Germany Sept. 28, 1907 514,790 France Nov. 18, 1920 473,893 Germany Mar. 22, 1929 

